A Child Will Lead Them
by JMD-009
Summary: Gideon's plan to get rid of Chris takes the sisters and Leo with him. Trapped in the future a child will lead them to the truth about Chris.
1. The Disc

A Child Will Lead Them

Disclaimer  
I don't own Charmed. If I did I wouldn't be so poor.

Chris orbed into the magic school library trying to keep his face neutral. He was here under extreme protest, but the sisters just assumed that was because of the general mistrust between Leo and himself. Truth was he was afraid he would run into _him_ and that he wouldn't be able to control himself. He didn't come here to murder people who hadn't yet committed their crimes but this one was… different.

"Chris." Leo, in his elder robes, called when he noticed the new arrival. "What are you doing here?"

He looked at Chris strangely when he didn't get an answer. Instead Chris just sent a strong hard gaze to something over his shoulder. Following Chris' gaze he saw a man dressed in dark teachers robes he had previously been talking too. "That's right, you two haven't met yet. Chris this is Gideon, he runs magic school. He was something of a mentor to me when I first became a whitelighter. Gideon this is-"

"He needs no introduction Leo." Gideon said as he stepped forward and offered the young man his hand. "The whitelighter who travelled to the past to save the future. You're quite infamous these days my friend. It's an honour to meet you."

Chris crossed his arms over his chest. "We've met before."

"We have?" Gideon asked confused with a hint of something else. Suspicion?

"We will." Chris corrected with steel in his voice.

Leo decided it would be best to cut in despite his curiosity on what that was all about. "What are you doing here Chris?"

"The girls have been calling you." He said simply.

"I heard them." Leo responded answering the unasked question. "It didn't sound like an emergency and they _have_ a whitelighter. I'm an elder now, I can't just come whenever they call me anymore."

Chris didn't know who Leo was trying to convince, himself or him. Not that he really cared right now. "Well they asked me to get you."

"And you actually came."

"Under protest."

Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Piper threatened to blow me up."

Leo nodded understanding just how his wife… ex-wife… could be. "What do they want?"

"Don't know. Don't care. Let's go."

"It could be important." Leo said turning to Gideon. "I should go."

"Of course. We'll talk more later."

With that the Leo and Chris orbed out leaving Gideon alone in the library. As they left the fake smile on Gideon's face turned into a very real scowl. Without bothering to acknowledge the students who just walked in Gideon stormed out and headed towards his office mumbling to himself.

As he entered the room he found it already occupied. "He knows something."

"Who sir?" Sigmund asked.

"The Charmed Ones whitelighter." Gideon spat as he began to pace. "That boy from the future. Christopher Perry."

"Are you certain?"

"Of course. We can't let him get between us and the boy. We'll have to get rid of him."

"W-wh-what?" Sigmund sputtered out. "I agreed with you about Wyatt being too dangerous, but Chris is a whitelighter. I can't condone killing one of our own."

Gideon stopped pacing and spoke more to himself than Sigmund. "No, not kill. We'll send him back. Yes that will work."

"Back to his time? From what I understand that would be a death sentence!" Sigmund tried to convince the elder.

"He doesn't belong in this time. The boy should never have been aloud to stay in the past. The course of destiny is absolute and his presence affects its natural design."

"Still," Sigmund started, not entirely convinced. "It doesn't seem right somehow."

Gideon ignored him. "I know just how to do it without anybody knowing of our involvement.

**OOOOOO **

Chris stood off to the side faintly amused at Leo's expression where he stood in the family room. The sisters were seated on the couch before him, the Book of Shadows open on the coffee table. They looked at him expectantly. "You brought me here for that."

"We need to know about this demon and he's not in the book." Paige told him.

He looked at them incredulously. "Don't you have a whitelighter for this type of thing?"

The look on their faces told him all he needed. They knew, they just didn't care.

"Not by choice." Piper muttered. Leo ignored it and turned to Chris, somehow doubting that he wouldn't know about a demon.

"I thought you didn't know why they called me?"

"I lied."

"Big surprise." Paige said as Piper snorted. Phoebe put a calming hand on both her sisters. Sure she was suspicious of their whitelighter, but she at least chose to give him the benefit of the doubt. For the moment at least.

Then again she didn't have the same issues with him as her sisters. He came her baring news that Paige was supposed to die when the Titans attacked and despite adverting that fate she became suspicious of him. Though, Phoebe realized, if somebody came back from the future and said she was supposed to die she would be a little sceptical too.

Piper on the other hand blamed the boy for Leo being promoted to elder and where the other two at least try to be civil to him she's down right mean at times. Having him around as their whitelighter is only a constant reminder of what she lost.

"Can we just get back to the matter at hand now that your precious Leo is here?" Chris said breaking into her thoughts.

Before anybody could respond they had to shield their eyes as the room was suddenly filled with a bright light. They all got ready to fight or defend. Just as suddenly as it appeared the light was gone. What they saw was not the demon attack they were expecting. In the middle of the room at about chest height was a spinning golden disk about the size of a cd.

"What the hell is that?" Piper asked the question on everybody's mind.

Suddenly the disk shot towards the doorway. Right where Chris happened to be standing. He grunted in pain as it slammed into his chest. But instead of slicing into him it twisted so that the flat of the disk attached to his front, the force of the blow throwing him back and onto the ground.

The sisters and Leo ran over to him as he began to convulse and bolts of energy began to dance across his body. Paige tried to orb it off him and Piper tried to blow it up and freeze it. Neither sisters powers had any effect. With little choice left Phoebe and Paige each grabbed an arm and shoulder in an attempt to hold him still as Piper tried to pry the object off.

"Oww!" Piper cried out as she pulled her hand back. The thing seemed to object to being removed and gave her a pretty good shock.

Leo knelt down beside her as the tendrils of energy began to leap off Chris' body and create a dome like effect around them. "Together now."

Piper nodded and reached to grab it as Leo did the same. They hissed in pain as their hands made contract but neither let go. They may not particularly like Chris but they didn't want him to die either.

Suddenly Chris' convulsions increased in ferocity and Paige and Phoebe had to struggle to hold him still. The energy coming off increased again encompassing them almost completely. Finally, with one final brilliant strobe of light, they all vanished.

**OOOOOO **

With a flash of light the disc reappeared back in the box where it had originated. With a flick of his wrist Gideon closed the lid, once again sealing the object away.

"This is bad!" Sigmund exclaimed in panic. "Only the whitelighter was supposed to get caught in the temporal field!"

Gideon waved him off dismissively. "They'll find a way back. We need to think of this as an opportunity."

"They'll find a way back! An opportunity! Are you even listening to yourself? Where did you even get a Tempus Discus anyway? They were all destroyed over a thousand years ago!"

"Not all of them." Gideon told him distractedly as his mind was racing through his new plan. "I got it from our new partner."

"What new partner? Gideon it's gone too far. We need to go to the council and work on getting the Charmed Ones back! I'm going." With that Sigmund turned to leave only to scream in pain seconds before blowing apart.

Gideon lowered his hand, the smoking remnants of power still around it. "I'm sorry my friend. It's for the greater good."


	2. Back to the Future

**OOOOOO **

The light receded after a moment to reveal the group exactly where they had been before. Unconsciously the sisters and Leo looked around. Something seemed… off. A groan from below them quickly drew their attention before they could figure it out though.

"Could you get off me now!"

As one they looked down to and were slightly surprised at what they saw. For one thing Chris wasn't in pain or convulsing anymore. In fact he looked fairly annoyed. Might have had something to do with Paige and Phoebe still holding his shoulders down and Piper and Leo with their hands on his chest where the strange disc had been moments before.

Yep, that was probably it.

All of their hands shot away from him as he steeled them with a glare. Mumbling apologies they tried to help him to his feet. He stubbornly brushed them off and stood up, seemingly uninjured by what had just happened.

"Something's different." He stated simply when he was finally on his feet.

"Phew!" Paige exclaimed. "I was worried it was just me for a second there. Any idea what it is?"

Chris didn't respond as he took in his surroundings. They watched him in confusion as something seemed to click in his mind, then disturbed as his eyes went wide and face ash white. The group of them all knew how guarded Chris kept his emotions and to see him suddenly show a look of horror caused them all to have a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs. What could possibly freak their cocky, overly confident, neurotic whitelight this much? Whatever it was they knew one thing; it was bad.

"We have to get out of here." He told them sternly. "Now!"

Piper looked at him like he'd grown another head. "No. We should do like we usually do with strange occurrences and go to the attic. Look in the book. See if we can find out what that thing was and what is going on.

Chris shook his head. "The book isn't there. Now come on. There isn't much time."

"Why wouldn't it be there Chris?" Phoebe asked. "This is our home."

"Not anymore." He replied as he started for the door. "This is my time."

"What!" He wasn't sure who that came from but he was positive who spoke next.

"Whatever." Paige said disbelievingly. It still felt like home after all. "I'll just orb upstairs for a little peek just in case."

"NO!" Chris yelled as raced back across the room and grabbed her arm in an attempt to stop her orbing. It startled her enough that it actually worked. "Not in here!"

With that said Chris all but dragged Paige towards and then out the front door. The others stared in confused disbelief for a second before following angrily, not happy at the way the young man was handling their sister. Finally Paige ripped her arm free in the front yard and turned, face red, on the whitelighter.

"Chris! Stop it!" She yelled. "We are not in the future!"

"Really? Then look at that!" Chris yelled back and threw his arm back in the general direction of the manor. They all followed its path to see a large sign in what used to be the garden.

"The Wyatt Halliwell Museum of Mystical Heritage." Leo read aloud in disbelief.

Chris snorted and spoke much calmer than before. "Kind of arrogant naming it after himself considering he's only one member of the family. A very small part of the heritage all things considered."

"He turned our home into a museum!" Piper was astonished.

"Wyatt wants everyone to know the power from which he was born."

It was spoken with such solemnity that they couldn't help but turn all their gazes onto him. But he didn't notice or at least didn't seem to care. Chris seemed to be lost in his thoughts as he looked at the manor- museum. It was a look lined with bitterness and hurt.

Suddenly he just shook his head and turned away. "We need to go. They'll be here soon."

"Who?" Phoebe asked.

"And why couldn't we have just orbed from the manor?" Leo added.

Paige looked sharply at him from where she was rubbing her arm. "Yeah, why not!"

"Well if you wanted to be fried by the magical backlash from the security system you can always go back."

Paige blinked at the snarky reply. "No. I'm good thanks."

Chris wasn't listening to her though. His gaze was locked on something else. "Too late."

"What the hell are those?" Piper asked as she followed his line of sight to find a trio of mechanical… things… floating down the street. Rather quickly at that.

Before any of them could react one of them got close enough to them to activate. From the lens on the front a beam of light shone out, scanning Chris from head to toe. Piper reacted on instinct, throwing her hands up and flicking her fingers at the offending machinery. Instead of blowing up she only succeeded in sending it end over end backwards a few meters.

"Oh, that's not good."

"Shit!" Chris exclaimed as he telekinetically sent the other two into neighbouring houses. "The bridge! Now!"

Leo nodded and placed a hand on Piper even as she was trying to blow up another one of the flying things. They disappeared in blue and white orbs with Paige following with Phoebe just a heartbeat behind.

Satisfied that the girls and Leo were safe Chris cursed. He was scanned. That means Wyatt knows he was back. _At least none of the others were scanned. Thank god for small miracles._

Chris shook those thoughts off as he slammed two of the mechanical menaces together and orbed to the bridge himself. As Chris materialized he didn't even bother to acknowledge their looks of horror. "Those were Wyatt's probes. Pains in the ass if you aren't used to fighting them."

None of them paid any attention though.

"My god!" Piper whispered in shock.

Leo looked down. "How could the elders- how could we let-?"

Paige just stared in shocked silence.

"What happened?" Phoebe asked softly, not able to take her eyes of the destruction. "What happened to the city?"

Before them laid San Francisco, but not as they knew it. There was no power except for off in the distance towards the area where the manor is. The only light elsewhere came from the open flames that engulfed whole buildings. Those that were still standing didn't fair much better. For the most part they were dilapidated and looked ready to fall apart with a strong wind.

"Wyatt happened." Chris told them offering no further explanation on the subject as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I'd prepare yourselves if I were you."

Almost before the last word came off his lips they suddenly felt their stomachs lurch as they dropped. Dropped down, through the bridge, through the bay below it and the rock and sand beneath that. Finally they materialized in some sort of cavern lit by lanterns attached to the cave walls.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Phoebe said as she dropped to her knees, Piper doing the same close behind her.

Paige and Leo managed to remain standing. Their ability to orb gave them more of a tolerance for other transportation methods. They too still looked a green and were a little unsteady on their feet though.

Chris just shrugged and walked through the large circular cavern. It was lined with dozens of openings leading down many different paths. Probably to confuse trespassers. "It takes some getting used to. Let's keep going."

After a moment to collect themselves they followed him down the path he'd taken. After about fifteen minutes of walking they were able to see a light, fifteen minutes more and they were able to reach it. As they exited the cave they found themselves on a plateau and gasped at what it overlooked.

A city. Large, clean, pristine and beautiful. A great contrast to the ruined heap they had seen not long ago. The setting sun only seemed to add to the magnificence of this place.

"Wait a minute." Paige said as she stared in awe. "I thought we were underground?"

"We are." Chris told her as he took a step forward and actually smiled at the sight before him. "It's an artificial geofront. An underground habitat. This is New Avalon, the stronghold of the resistance. We have bases all over the world, and even on other planes, but this one is different. It was built large enough so that we could abandon our other bases and evacuate everybody here if necessary."

He closed his eyes as he concentrated on extending his senses. "It's a little over a tenth full now. It wasn't even that when I left. We must have lost a few already."

"Aren't you worried that Wyatt will find it?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh he knows where it is." Chris told them with a bitter laugh. "He just can't get past the defences "

"What defences? I didn't notice anything." Leo commented curiously.

"Try and use your powers."

Indulging him Leo tried to orb only to be surprised when he couldn't. "I can't!"

In turn each of the sisters tried only to find themselves in a similar situation. Piper turned to Chris. "What's going on here?"

"The magic protecting this place is self evolving. It actually learns from every attempt Wyatt makes to break through and adapts to compensate. Everything he throws at it only makes it stronger." He explained. It won't let anyone that could hurt the resistance or innocents in and teleports anyone who changes sides out. Thus eliminating the threat of Wyatt doing a mind control spell and activating a sleeper when they got inside."

"Self evolving spell? Is that even possible?" Paige asked curiosity peeked.

"It's the first time it's been done and it wasn't easy. But when you have a few hundred magical beings performing the same spell it has a bit of punch to it."

"That still doesn't explain the loss of powers." Piper piped in.

"Well the barrier obviously trusted you enough to let you in, it's probably just blocking your magic to be on the safe side. It does that with people it's not used too. You'll get it back eventually."

"You talk about it like it's alive." Phoebe commented.

"It is." Chris told them not bothering to explain further as they saw somebody orb in a few feet away. He was glad for the interruption. One thing he really didn't want to do was explain to the Charmed Ones the truth about the barrier. They definitely wouldn't like it.

"Miguel." Chris greeted the newcomer. "'Bout time."

The short grey haired man just smiled. "I sensed the time portal when the elder came out and have been preparing for your arrival since. I just thought I would give you some time to explain a few things before getting down to business."

Turning to where Leo and the sisters stood and his smile widened. "It's good to see you again Leo."

"You know this guy?" Piper asked.

"Yes, that's Miguel. He's an elder."

"Indeed I am." He said before turning back to Chris. "The Council is waiting for you. I've taken the liberty of preparing lodgings for Leo and the Charmed Ones."

"Thanks." Chris said as he immediately orbed away. He knew they weren't going to like not being able to do anything, and was happy to avoid the coming explosion. Especially Hurricane Piper.

Miguel caught the grin on his face as Chris left and cringed. He always hated that grin. Nothing good followed it.

"What!" He found out just what the grin was about at Piper's exclamation. He'd forgotten what Leo's wife could be like. "We're going to this council with Chris! Right now! We're going to figure out just what the hell is goi-"

Piper never got the chance to finish her sentence. Now Miguel used to be a man of great patience. So much so that it even annoyed the other elders and that's saying something. But nobody in the world was left unchanged these last eight years. Miguel was no exception.

With a wave of his hands Leo and the sisters disappeared in swirls of blue and white lights. He sighed as he rubbed his temples. Before following them he muttered. "Oh blessed quiet."

"What do you think you're doing?" Piper fumed as the elder orb into the hall of the building he sent them to.

Miguel just ignored her as he tossed two sets of keys to the group. "Piper and Leo have the apartment on the left, Paige and Phoebe the one on the right."

"I asked you a question."

"I heard you." Miguel said as calmly as he could, but as he spoke his next words he began to get more and more agitated. "Keep in mind that you are _guests_ in our _home_. Start acting like it. We have ways of doing things here that you don't know and can't help with at the moment. You _are_ going to wait for Chris to come back with a plan of action and if you don't like it you can kiss my blessed _ass_!"

"Are elders allowed to swear?" Phoebe whispered to Leo as Miguel took several deep and calming breaths. Leo just shot her an annoyed look.

"I suppose we have no choice but to stay here?" Paige asked testily.

After a couple more breaths their guide responded. "No, you're free to explore the city as you like. You won't be able to get into any of the restricted areas though."

With that he turned and began walking down the hall towards the stairwell. "There is actually a park not to far from here. It's nice; I'm heading there myself. Just try to relax and wait for Chris. He'll come up with something."

"Like we should really trust Chris of all people."

Miguel stopped dead and turned back to glare at the group. He didn't care which one it came from. "I'd be careful about what you say about Chris around here. He's well respected."

They literally took a step back from the intensity of the look the elder was sending their way. "Most of us here wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him. Before him the resistance was just a bunch of scattered cells. Cells that he organized into one cohesive alliance. Our Council members leads us with equal power and he is the only one who has ever been offered the position of Council Chairman, effectively making him the leader of the resistance. He turned it down. Twelve times."

Miguel turned his back on the group. "To us, Chris is our hope."

With that he orbed out to his favourite place in the park to meditate. He was planning on taking a nice calming walk their but now decided he was in much more urgent need of the relaxation and clarity he received there.

For a few long moments they just stared in shock where he disappeared. It was Phoebe who finally voiced what they were all thinking.

"Wow."

**OOOOOO **

The park really was beautiful. The city itself just seemed so peaceful. Deceivingly so considering what they saw up above. It had been a unanimous decision to come here. Not just because the walk could help to clear their heads either. No, they needed to find Miguel. Needed to apologize.

He was right. They really didn't know anything about this time or place. Or Chris.

Problem was that they had been wondering the park for the last half an hour and still hadn't found him. They finally decided to stop and rest for a bit on a couple of benches beside a large fountain that had several angel statues in it.

"It really is beautiful here." Phoebe commented.

The others nodded their assent but never had the chance to comment as a shrill cry rang out. Looking a little ways down the path they saw a little girl, no older than four or five, on the ground crying. Practically as one they got up and ran to her.

"Are you okay sweety?" Piper asked soothingly as she knelt down and helped the dark haired little girl into a sitting position. She didn't say anything but she did stop crying, even if she did still sniffle a little.

In response to Piper's question she just held out her arm to show the scrape on her elbow she got when she fell. On instinct Leo raised his hands to heal only to lower them a moment later when he realized he couldn't. Paige, however, was much more prepared as she pulled a band-aid out of her pocket.

"You carry band-aids around?" Phoebe asked incredulously.

"With how often we get hurt it pays to be prepared. You should see my purse." Was all Paige said as she knelt next to the girl and applied the bandage. "There you go, all better. My name is Paige by the way."

The little girl wiped the remaining tears out of her beautiful green eyes. "My mommy says not to talk to strangers."

Piper laughed. "Your mommy is absolutely right."

"A little young for a tattoo aren't you?" Phoebe asked gesturing to the red bird on the little girl's right wrist.

"It's a birmar."

"Birthmark." Piper corrected automatically.

"S'what I said."

That got a laugh from the adults. They stopped when they saw a woman further down the path. She saying something. Calling. They couldn't hear though. Apparently the little girl could as her head perked up before she disappeared in the familiar white orbs only rather than traveling upwards a little before disappearing like normal they remained in place and shimmered away.

The girl reappeared down the path next to the woman, who was now close enough for them to hear as she engulfed the little girl in a hug.

"Oh, thank god!" She exclaimed. "You know you shouldn't orb out on me like that."

"Don't want to go to bed." The little girl said stubbornly.

The mother laughed. "I'll read you a story first alright?"

"Sleeping beauty?" Came the hopeful little voice.

"Alright."

"It's not fair." Paige commented as she watched the two walk away.

Leo looked at her curiously. "What isn't?"

"A four year old is trusted with her powers and we're not."

"You know," Phoebe commented after a moment. "That is kind of insulting."

Suddenly there was an orb-shimmer in front of them and the little girl reappeared.

"Mommy says it's okay. My name is Piper Hope Halliwell."

With that she was gone again, completely unaware of the stunned looks from the bombshell she'd just dropped.


	3. The Meeting

**  
OOOOOO **

"Did she just say what I think she said?" Piper asked in a daze.

"Oh ya." Paige told her.

"Do you think she's really…"

"Probably." Leo told them. "She definitely has the look of a Halliwell child."

A smile tugged at Piper's lips. "I guess the future is going to have some high points after all."

"Oooo, one of us is going to be a grandma!" Phoebe suddenly squealed. "And she's so cute."

"She is isn't she?" Piper agreed, her smile getting broader.

"She reminds me of someone though." Paige said thoughtfully. At the looks her sisters shot her she amended. "I mean, she's family so she obviously reminds me of somebody, but there's something else too. I just can't put my finger on it though."

"Now that you mention it I think you have a point." Piper said her brows furrowed as she tried to place it. "What do you think Leo?"

No responds.

"Leo?"

"Leo?"

Leo fell back from his crouched position as Piper yelling right in his face finally managed to get his attention. "Huh?" He uttered intelligibly.

"Something on your mind there Leo?" Paige asked wryly.

"The phoenix mark."

"That birthmark I saw?" Phoebe asked.

"It's the mark of Phoenix Witches." He told them as if that should be all the explanation necessary.

Piper frowned. "And for those of us who _aren't_ elders?"

"I don't know much." Leo said. "Just that Phoenix's are evil witches trained their entire lives as assassins."

"She didn't seem that evil too me." Phoebe pointed out. "Just an innocent, happy little girl."

Her sisters readily nodded their agreement and Leo sighed. "I know, she didn't to me either. Still…"

Phoebe grinned. "Piper's the grandma!"

"What! Huh! Why me? You guys could have kids too you know." Piper sputtered.

"Oh come on." Phoebe exclaimed. "No offence but your son is going through a bit of an evil phase right now. If phoenix's are evil than it stands to reason that he would have an equally evil queen."

"Doesn't mean anything." Piper muttered, but finding it did make an eerie kind of sense.

"I wonder why Chris didn't tell us about her?" Paige mused aloud after a minute of uneasy silence.

Beat.

"Future consequences." They all said in unison.

Piper's eyes narrowed. "Still, I'm going to give him a piece of mind!"

"That list of things you want to yell at Chris about seems to be getting pretty long." Paige commented dryly earning her a glare from her sister causing her to raise her hands in a surrender gesture. "Hey, I'm not saying I don't want to know all the things he's been keeping from us, just that the things Miguel said really hit home. I, for one, am going to give him some leeway for a bit."

"Come on." Leo said as he stood up, interrupting any comments. He didn't want to risk any arguments if the other sisters didn't agree. "Let's head back to the apartments and get some sleep. Maybe we'll be able to make more sense of all that's happened today with some rest to clear our heads."

Begrudgingly the sisters agreed and followed Leo back in the direction of the apartments they had been set up with. All except Piper that is. She stayed behind a minute and sent one last look in the direction the little girl, Piper she corrected herself, and her mother had went.

**OOOOOO **

The next morning the group gathered in the apartment set aside for Piper and Leo figuring that Chris would likely be showing up soon. Or Miguel, or somebody at least.

The apartments were identical but still nice. A nice sized living room, two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and dining area. Fully furnished to boot.

On one wall had a large screen that they assumed was a tv fixed to it. Wanting to kill some time waiting they tried to turn it on only for a person's face to appear. A rather annoyed person at being crank called. Apparently it was some kind of videophone, although they couldn't find any cameras for the life of them. Probably a spell.

"Isn't there anything to do around here?" Phoebe complained.

Leo looked up from the book he was reading and pointed at the bookcase in the corner. "There are some books over there."

"Yah, but they're all by Twain and Hemmingway and the like. I want something new!" After a moment she added. "Plus I doubt I'd have time to finish one before going back. At least I hope I don't."

"I believe the term is classic." Leo told her dryly. "And technically anything new to you is old to them."

"Maybe we could explore the city some?" Paige suggested, a sly grin growing on her face. "Maybe sneek into one of those 'restricted areas' Miguel mentioned."

"Now that's an idea I can get around." Piper said as she stood up.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Leo told them. "I trust Miguel. If he says to wait for Chris I'll wait for Chris."

"He also said we could explore the city." Paige pointed out.

"Besides," Piper picked up on their argument. "Miguel and Chris will be able to sense where we are and orb there."

Leo looked at the three pointedly. "And considering that we need these people do you want them to find us somewhere we're not supposed to be?"

The familiar chimes interrupted them as orb lights began to appear.

"'Bout time Chris." Piper said to the orbs. "You've got some explaining to do."

"Hate to disappoint you," Miguel said as he solidified. "But I'm not Chris."

"Where is he then?" Phoebe asked curiously before adding hastily. "Not that we're not happy to see you and all."

Miguel chuckled at her. "He's still in a meeting with the Council."

"Still?" Phoebe asked. "He's been there all night?"

"There's a lot to talk about."

"Why didn't you tell us we had relatives here?" Piper decided to get straight to the point.

"Huh?"

Piper shot him her 'don't play dumb with me look'. "We met little Piper in the park"

"Oh." He smiled broadly. "Cute kid huh?"

"So she really is a Halliwell?" Phoebe said smiling broadly herself.

"Most definitely. She's as stubborn as the lot of you."

"Hey!" Came three indignant exclamations. Leo tried his best to hide his chuckle but apparently wasn't quite good enough when three glares came his way. He shrank back slightly but still had an amused grin on his face.

"Anyway…" Miguel drew out, drawing attention back to him. "It wasn't my place. Plus you annoyed me."

"Yah about that… We're sorry." Phoebe spoke up for the group as they nodded in agreement. "We were out of line."

"Don't worry about it." Miguel said waving it off. "I know Chris would have done some things to earn a degree of suspicion from you. I'm just glad it was me you said that too rather than somebody who wouldn't take it quite so kindly. Chris would be upset if I let you get hurt."

The sisters and Leo were quiet for a second as that sunk in. It had never actually occurred to any of them that someone might actually hurt them for badmouthing Chris. And with their powers blocked…

"It wasn't my place." Piper said suddenly turning to Miguel. "What did you mean by that?"

He didn't answer.

"Fine, than just tell me one thing okay? Is she Wyatt's daughter."

"No." Miguel told her softly. "No she's not."

Seeing they were about to ask more question he decided to interrupt. "The Council wants to see you. We have to go."

Without waiting for them to answer he waved his hand and orbed them all away. When they reappeared they were in a large room. A large rectangular oak table was situated in the centre of the room with a dozen chairs around it, five on each long side and one on each end.

"A little warning before you do that please!" Piper exclaimed.

"We're not quite ready for them yet Miguel." Chris said from his position at the head of the table. "There are some chairs along the back wall set up for you while we finish up."

Nodding Miguel led the Charmed Ones and Leo to the chairs and sat down with them. Leo turned to his old friend. "Aren't you a member of the Council Miguel?"

"No." Miguel said with note of regret in his voice. "Elders aren't exactly popular in the resistance. Not after… well, lets just say we earned this."

With a look of finality Miguel turned his attention back to meeting. Leo looked concerned at him for a moment before reluctantly following suit.

"So our Olympus Heights and Hades Grove bases have both fallen." It was more a statement than a question as Chris got the meeting back underway.

"Olympus Heights five months ago and Hades Grove two." A man which they belatedly recognized as Daryl told him. He actually aged well over the last two decades. Though he did have his fair share of wrinkles showing and his hair was peppered with grey.

"There were survivors from Hades, not many but some." A woman they recognized as the Valkyrie Freyja picked up. They could here the loathing in her voice as she spoke. "There were none from Olympus. He even butchered the children."

"We tried an assault on the Citadel after Olympus." A green scaled demonic looking creature said, its deep, gravely voice sounded tired, and not from any lack of sleep. "It was doomed to failure from the start. Our assault forces were completely wiped out.

"Citadel?" Piper questioned out loud. Surprisingly someone answered her.

"Magic school." The man sitting nearest to them at the end of the table opposite Chris answered. His voice seemed familiar. They didn't have time to dwell though. "Wyatt butchered the students and staff and took it as his base of operations."

Piper just stared on in shock. She, her sisters and Leo sat there for an hour as the meeting went on like that. With each gruesome act they described Piper felt her stomach turned. How could it have gone so wrong? How could her sweet little boy grow up to be this… this… monster?

"They talk about Wyatt like he's Hitler or something." Paige said in astonishment to nobody in particular.

"Shouldn't they?" Chris questioned, startling them out of their thoughts as he suddenly appear by them.

Piper narrowed her eyes at him. Despite everything she's seen (both from her glimpse of San Francisco and the photos and holograms used in the meeting) and everything she's heard she still felt the need to defend her son. He is her baby after all. "What!"

"In World War I and II _combined_ approximately one hundred and forty million lives were lost." Chris told them calmly. "The war with Wyatt has already taken one point eight _billion_."

He paused as he let the enormity of that sink in. "And you don't want to know what happens in the 'habitats' he keeps any non magical human he catches in."

"Hitler." Chris scoffed. "That's amateur hour compared to Wyatt."

With that Chris just orbed out. They just stared at the spot he disappeared, trying to digest what he had just told them..

"He's right." Cole said as he turned around so they could finally see him. Probably not the best time to drop another bombshell on them. It did, however, stun them enough to kill any comments they were about to make on their lips. "That's why we wanted you to sit in on part of the Council meeting. We need you to understand when you go back that Wyatt needs to be stopped. That you have to do everything in your power to stop him from every becoming this tyrant."

"Cole?" Phoebe whispered in disbelief. "We vanquished you."

He gave her a wry grin. "Repeatedly. But, obviously I'm back."

"But how."

"I can't tell you." His grin turned to an amused smirk. "Future consequences."


	4. Escaping the Cosmic Void

**  
OOOOOO **

At the glares being sent his way Cole couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Sorry, after what Chris said in his debriefing I couldn't help it."

"Were you always this much of a smart ass?" Piper asked, her glare still firmly in place.

Cole finally stopped laughing but still had a grin firmly in place. "You tell me."

"You seem worse."

He shrugged. "I hang around Chris a lot."

"How?" The voice was barely a whisper but may as well have been yelled for the effect it had.

Cole looked over at Phoebe sympathetically. He knew this would be the biggest shock for her. For her he really hadn't been out of her life for a real long time. Hell, it was still hard for him to see her, at least corporeally, and for him it has been over twenty years.

"I really can't tell you everything." He told them. "But I can say that for a long time I was stuck in a sort of cosmic void between life and death. Truthfully I had accepted that I would never get out."

At their sceptical looks he added. "No really. After the first decade or so you figure you're in for the long haul.

"Anyway, about eight years ago Wyatt made his big push for the world. It was seven years ago at a time when the resistance was still slowly forming into what it is today that I come in. They learned quickly that they couldn't just take Wyatt down through force alone. So people began to look for alternative means."

"Alternative means?" Leo questioned.

"Yes, in this case they were trying to trap him, banish him to another plane of existence. Unfortunately when they tested the spell something went wrong and Chris was pulled into the cosmic void."

"Chris?" Paige questioned in disbelief.

"Yep, Chris." Cole grinned as they all had similar reactions on their faces. "I'm sure by now you've noticed a lot comes back to him?"

Not giving them a chance to answer he continued. "So Chris shows up and was actually remarkably calm all this considered. I tried to help him adjust to being able to see the material world but not interact with it. Instead he used it to his advantage.

"See the attempts by the resistance to get him out all failed. So Chris watched and waited for them to try a spell with just the right amount of kick, then he added his own…"

"Thus using power on both planes to amplify each other and open a doorway." Leo finished. He actually looked impressed. "Brilliant."

"And he pulled me out with him."

"Not so brilliant." Paige muttered.

"He mustn't have known what he was risking." Piper commented.

Cole laughed. "Oh he knew. He knows almost as much about my history and me as you do. He felt that the tactical advantage I could bring the resistance outweighed the risks."

Paige shot him a look. "Your powers?"

"Nope, I'm completely human… again. No more powers." Cole told them spreading his arms out as if to emphasize the point before tapping his temple with his index finger. "No, what he wanted was up here."

"Who knows evil better than a former Source?" Leo filled in.

"Essentially."

"It was your plan to go back in time wasn't it?" Phoebe asked speaking up since the first time since the beginning of the conversation. He knew what she was really asking though. She was afraid that it was part of a plan to get her back, manipulate her again.

"No that was all Chris."

The strange expression on his face didn't go completely unnoticed. Leo questioned. "You almost seem proud."

"I am. I got to watch him grow up, even if I was immaterial. Kid's had it rough, it's remarkable he's turned out to be as good a man as he is. Then to go into the past and have to face…"

He trailed off but the sisters weren't going to let him off that easy. "And…?"

"I feel sorry for Chris." Cole told them with a sigh, choosing to go with a half truth. "At one point I think just about everyone has thought about the Hitler Baby dilemma. Chris had to live it for six months. Frankly he's probably the only council member, hell the only resistance member, who wouldn't have just killed Wyatt as soon as they had the chance. Instead he's trying to save him. I'm actually quite impressed by that boy."

"Speaking of Chris," Miguel interrupted. "We should probably find him. I assume you'd want him to discuss with them whatever the Council has come up with."

"Probably for the best. Wonder where he stormed off to?" Cole said as he turned to the elder.

"I can't sense him, but with Chris that doesn't mean anything. Home maybe? I know he was anxious to get there."

"No, he wouldn't leave until he's spoken to them." Cole told him thoughtfully until realization hit him. The expression he wore was one that screamed 'how stupid am I for not having thought of this right away'. "The Core Room."

"Makes sense." Miguel agreed. "I'll orb us there."

Cole looked back at the group of shocked and wary people behind them. "No. I think the walk would do everybody some good. Time to sort things out in their heads."

"Alright," Cole said turning back. "Miguel and I think Chris will be in the Core Room. We'll show you the way. If not, well I'm sure the trip will satiate some of your curiosities about this place."

Miguel and Cole were on there way out the Council Chambers door before they realized nobody was following. Cole sighed. "Look, you've all had the basic explanation of the barrier right? If I was evil or had any intentions to hurt somebody I'd have already been booted out of here."

He pointed at Miguel. "Or at least trust him."

Leo moved first to follow the elder who had already resumed walking. One by one the Charmed Ones followed his lead. Phoebe was taking up the rear when Cole matched stride beside her. She scooted away from him slightly, conflicting emotions warring on her features. Again Cole sighed.

"Look, Phoebe, I know you're hurting. Seeing me again has to be opening old wounds. You have to understand that I am not that Cole anymore. I've had twenty years to change. I still love you, I always will, but I accepted a long time ago that I could never be with you. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. And in the end you were."

With that he walked to the front of the group alongside Miguel and led the way.

**OOOOOO **

Minutes ticked away in uncomfortable silence as they made their way to the Core Room. It probably didn't help things when the entire group crammed into an elevator. The thing with uncomfortable silences is that somebody eventually breaks them. It's just a matter of who cracks first.

"So…" Paige drawled out. "What is this place exactly?"

"This is Resistance HQ." Miguel answered, as Cole seemed to distracted by something to do so. _Must have something on his mind._ He mused.

"It's the big building in the centre of the city. The Council Chambers we just came from was on the top floor some sixty stories up. Right now we're going to the Core Room on sub-level twelve, the lowest floor we have. It's actually the only room down there with the exception of a small hall that wraps around the perimeter."

"What is this Core Room people keep talking about?"

"Essentially it's the power source of the city and the barrier spell." He explained. "Though it is infinitely more complicated than that. In essence it is the barrier."

Before Miguel could explain further the elevator gave a bing sound to signal there arrival as the doors opened. As Miguel exited the elevator and walked a short distance to the door across the hall he shot back to them. "Well see for yourselves."

Neither the sisters nor Leo could hold in the gasp that came to there lips as the door opened. In the middle of the room was a large shimmering ball of mystical energy. The blue and white sphere was nearly fifty feet in diameter and raidiated power as tendrils of electric force danced along its surface. Strangely enough a feeling of pure calm seemed to emanate off it.

"Wow!"

"It's beautiful."

"Amazing!"

"I've never seen anything like this."

"Come on." Miguel told them as he gave a small chuckle at their reactions. They still stared in awe as they followed him down the catwalk leading to the centre of the room, or at least the closest point to it that the energy field would allow.

In the distance they could see someone standing next to the sphere and soon recognized the figure as Chris. As they got closer they could hear him talking to it.

"…hard being back there. The lies. The secrecy. The manipulation. There are times I'm not sure I'm strong enough to handle it. Then I think of the consequences and realized I don't have a choice. I _have_ to be strong enough. For the world. For Bianca. And most importantly for-"

"Chris!" Cole called out cutting the young man off as he caught his attention. As he spoke he motioned towards the group behind him and Miguel. "Did you forget you were supposed to explain some things to our guests?"

"Sorry about that. Just needed a few minutes to clear my head."

Miguel and Cole nodded compassionately. "Understandable."

"We need to talk." Piper broke in as she crossed her arms.

Chris sighed tiredly. "You're right. Not here though." He turned to Miguel. "Orb them to my office please. I'll catch up in a minute."

"Sure." Any protests were cut short as all but Chris disappeared in orb lights.

Chris took a few deep breaths before squaring his shoulders, preparing himself for the inevitable argument.

"I'll talk to you later." Chris said as he turned back to the Core. "Bye Dad."

With that he orbed out.

* * *

A/N  
And with another bombshell I'll end the chapter. So far there is a lot less of Little Piper in this story than I originally intended. Rest assured she is coming back and plays a major part in the plot.


	5. The Bad Guys Cometh

** OOOOOO **

Gideon was frowning as he orbed into the underworld. This particular area of it looked more like a museum than the cave motif that made up its majority. Relics from every time period and civilization were neatly organized and displayed throughout the large room. There were even many from the various magical realms. Statues of people were placed next to the displays of the civilization they were from. The detail was amazing, so life like that to look in their eyes one would be overcome with the emotion locked within the gaze. Fear.

All of the relics were one of a kind and most would have been frozen in place from awe. Gideon didn't even break stride as he move towards a small doorway in the back. Without knocking he walked into the room. The only furnishings inside were a large black table with a half dozen chairs around it. Only one was occupied by a large man in an impeccable black suit. He took a seat across from him.

Looking at the demon Gideon couldn't help but think of when one of his students pulled a prank a few weeks back. The student had cast a rather creative spell that used a dvd as a conduit and broadcast the movie on every reflective surface in the school. Given the amount of marble and polished surfaces they have that was pretty much everything. He'd promptly found the culprit and confiscated the offending disc.

Gideon had to suppress a chuckle as he realized the demon looked almost exactly like the lead actor. _What was his name again? Vic… Van… Vin! Yes that's it, Vin Diesel._ He didn't think the demon would appreciate the comparison to an actor.

"You're late." The demon growled gravely.

"And you're incompetent." Gideon shot back.

The demon glared. "You should feel lucky that I was willing to lend you my tempus discus. The Collector isn't known for his generosity.

"Must you speak of yourself in the third person?" Gideon asked before fixing him with a glare of his own. "And we were fortunate enough to have Leo and the Charmed Ones be sent with the Whitelighter giving us this opportunity. But they _will_ be back! You've had nearly a _day_ already and done _nothing_!"

"Patience, my… friend. All is being taken care of. Stheno!"

At Collectors call Gideon heard the door behind him open and a figure walk in. Out of his peripheral vision he caught the beings shadow on the wall. It would have appeared to be that of a human woman had it not been for the snake like shadows dancing across the head. _A Gorgon? Interesting._

"If you were going for this race, Collector, it's a pity you couldn't have gotten Medusa." Gideon said, not taking his gaze off the man across from him.

Stheno tsked indignantly behind him. "Medusa? _Medusa!_ One of my sisters gets famous and the rest of us are what? Chop liver? She's only famous for getting _killed_ by that putz Perseus anyways."

"Enough Stheno, you know your target. And remember to bring me the child's statue." The Collector grinned balefully. "The Twice Blessed will make an excellent addition to my collection."

He turned to Gideon. "Will this be satisfactory?"

The elder merely nodded before orbing out.

** OOOOOO **

The adult Wyatt sat in a darkened room. The only light came from the screen on the wall before him. It showed Chris as he slammed to probes together before orbing out.

With a wave of his hand Wyatt started the recording again, as he had many times since receiving it, form the point where the first probe scanned Chris only to be knocked away by an unseen force. One that obviously wasn't Chris' power.

Wyatt didn't pay that fact any mind, however, as he stood from his seat and walked over to the screen. He placed his hand gently on the screen over the image of his brother.

"Welcome home Christopher." He told the image. "You're just in time for the party."

With that he sent a surge of energy into the screen causing it to explode in a shower of sparks and glass.

** OOOOOO**

**AN  
**It took me awhile but I finally got some more of this fic out. I realized I'd been neglecting the bad guys so here they are. So much fun to write. Anyways, you'll finally get that Piper-Chris confrontation next chapter. I'm just not telling you which Piper.


	6. Future Consequences

**OOOOOO **

The sisters and Leo were surprise when they appeared in Chris' office. It was bigger than they expected. Large enough to hold themselves Cole and Miguel with plenty of room to spare. Apparently it was a corner office since two walls were completely made of glass giving a spectacular view of New Avalon. The remaining two walls were lined with full bookcases and filing cabinets. His desk, a well-worn wooden antique, was situated a few feet from one of the clear was, a comfy and expensive looking leather chair behind it. Two more were placed in front.

Phoebe couldn't take her eyes off the desk as they heard the familiar jingle and saw the blue and white orbs appear between the two guest chairs.

The moment Chris was fully formed he raised his hand to cut off whatever Piper was already about to say. He decided the best way to avoid Hurricane Piper, followed shortly by Volcanic Paige and Tornado Phoebe, was to stop it before it has a chance to start.

"Look," He told them. "I'm sorry about what I said about Wyatt."

He paused. "Well, more about how I actually said it to be truthful. It still needed to be said. You have to understand that we've been fighting a war against him for eight _years_. Virtually everyone in the Resistance has lost someone because of Wyatt. He's every bit as bad as I said and more. I just… could have broken it to you more… gently I suppose."

Chris leaned back onto his desk and crossed his arms over his chest meeting Pipers gaze with his own. "We have other things to go over we really don't need to waste time with an argument over that."

"I wasn't actually going to say anything about that."

Chris stared at Piper with open confusion.

"I'm repressing it actually. Trying to anyway."

"Oh." Was the most intelligible thing to come out of his mouth.

"What I was going to ask," Piper told him as her neutral expression changed to one of steel. "Is why you never told us we have family here?"

"They met Little Piper in the park last night." Miguel filled in as a look of worry imperceptible to all but those who know him well crossed his features.

He nodded in realization "Ahhhh."

"Ah!" Piper fumed. "Ah! That's all you have to say? I want an answer."

The others just looked on as Chris gazed off to the side seemingly considering his answer. Cole and Miguel said nothing, knowing Chris would handle this as he saw fit and curious about how that would be given the new circumstances. Leo and the girls made no interruptions because they wanted to know as badly as Piper did.

After a long moment of contemplation Chris turned back and opened his mouth to speak.

"--And don't dare say future consequences!" Piper interrupted.

He said nothing.

"Chris!"

"Well you said don't say it."

Miguel and Cole did there best to cover their chuckles.

"Chris!"

"Look, it was never anything personal." Chris told them as a sigh escaped his lips. "I didn't say future consequences just to be an ass. The simple act of knowing the future changes the future."

Phoebe interrupted him with a question. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

The look he gave her caused her to take a step back. It was a look full of fierce conviction and devotion. "Not if it causes someone I care about to cease to exist. Knowing you're suppose to have a child and a good idea when, that's a lot of pressure to be sure. Just armed with the knowledge of what's going to happen you're going to do things at least a little differently without even realizing it. Or do I have to remind you of Melinda?"

Piper and Leo both winced at the mention of their daughter the sisters had seen the first time they went to a future. The one they never had.

"There were good times before the war started. There have even been some after. I don't want to risk those for the sake of your… curiosity and what you think you deserve to know."

The sisters and Leo avoided Chris' searching gaze. They had never considered he would have such a good reason behind avoiding future talk. The emotion in his voice, however, left little doubt as to his motives.

Leo was the first to look at him. "Fair enough." The girls nodded their agreement.

"Do you think we could see her again though?" Piper added. "Just the little girl I mean. We've already met her so if it was just with Piper how much worse could it get?"

Chris shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Besides," Cole said jumping in quickly. "Hopefully you won't be here very long anyways."

"Right. We really should be getting back to the reason we're all here." Chris told them trying not to make it seem like he was changing the subject. "Like finding a way to get you back to your time."

"Why don't we just use the same spell you did?" Paige asked.

"Well I have it memorized so I wouldn't have to steal the Book of Shadows from Wyatt again, which is a big plus." He told them and they faces began to get a little hopeful. "Unfortunately it needs to be said over a powerful convergence of mystical energies. In other words the Nexus under the manor. We'll never get back in to do it there. Wyatt will make sure of that."

As their looks deflated Chris decided to add the rest quickly. "So we'll be having one of our research teams meet you in the library to find an alternative method. Cole will be going with you since he has had some experience with time travel."

"You're not coming with us?" Asked Phoebe.

"No. I have a full day of meetings and then I'm going to go home and visit my family. I'll stop by tomorrow and help when I can, but I have a lot to catch up on and a lot to do."

** OOOOOO **

"Oh my god!" Phoebe exclaimed as she walked beside her sisters and Leo in the park to unwind after a long day of researching. "If I never see a book on magic theory again it will be too soon."

Paige just laughed at her sister. "It wasn't that bad!"

"Says the girl who's gone super witch." Piper chimed in.

"I hate to admit it but I wish Chris had been there. He did seem to have a nack for that sort of thing." Admitted Leo.

At the mention of Chris the group stopped walking and conversation came to a halt. To be truthful they didn't really know what to think of him anymore.

It was Phoebe who broke the silence as she spoke in a quiet voice.

"Hey Piper?" She asked. "Did you notice the desk in Chris' office?"

"What about it."

"Doesn't it look a lot like Dad's to you?"

"I really wasn't paying too much attention." She replied honestly. "But now that you mention it I think it did. But there has to be a lot that do, I mean, a desk is a desk right?"

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"I don't know anything about your dad's stuff but that not the part that bothers me. It's something he said." Paige told them drawing their gazes.

"Chris said he was going to visit his family. I never considered…" She trailed off.

Piper finished for her. "Ya, I know, me too. It just didn't occur to me that he might have had to leave somebody behind for his mission."

"He seemed to take the not existing thing really personally. Said 'someone he cares about'. Do you think that someone might be the daughter of one of us?" Nobody answered Phoebe immediately. An uncomfortable silence again reigned at the implications that question arose.

"It would make an eerie kind of sense." Paige spoke up, breaking the silence finally. "He knew the manor, the book… us. It would explain a lot actually."

"I'd rather not think about it." Piper told them. "It's not like he'd tell us anyway."

Before they could get any further into the conversation their attention was drawn to the same fountain they stopped at last night. There was an orb-shimmer that soon disappeared to reveal Little Piper going to work with a piece of paper and a pack of crayons.

"Where are you going?" Leo asked as Piper started walking again.

"To say hello."

"I don't think that's a good idea. Remember what Chris said?"

"It's not like we went looking for her Leo."

"Ya." Phoebe said as she matched stride. "It's just a coincidence."

"What's the worst that could happen, really? Chris tends to be a little paranoid." Paige added.

Leo stood there alone for a minute before sighing and moving to catch up. "Why do I even bother arguing? I never win."

"Hello again." Piper said as she approached the little girl. "What are you drawing?"

Little Piper smiled as she looked up and saw the nice ladies who made her boo-boo go away came over. She proudly held up her paper for them to see. "A cat!"

Piper looked at the purple vaguely cat-like blob on the page. She smiled warmly. "Well it's a great cat."

The little girl's smile brightened at the praise before she spoke something completely out of the blue. "You're pretty."

"Awww! She's so cute!" Phoebe gushed drawing the little girl's attention to her.

"Your hair looks funny."

"Maybe she's not that cute." Phoebe grumbled light heartedly as her sisters and Leo didn't even try to stifle their laughs.

By the time they stopped laughing at Phoebe's expense Little Piper wasn't paying them any attention anymore. Instead she was looking past them with a look that could only be described as pure happiness and excitement.

"**_Daddy!_**" She exclaimed before rushing past them. As one they turned only to see her rush into Chris' open arms.

**  
**


	7. Father Figures

** OOOOOO **

Chris sighed as he watched Cole lead the group from the past out of his office. As soon as the door shut he slump down into the chair behind his antique desk, for the first time in a long while showing signs of his exhaustion. If he had been in the presence of most anybody else who never would have dropped the façade of never ending strength, his present company could always see through that though.

"You probably should have told them." Miguel stated as he walked back over to the desk after shutting the door. At Chris' incredulous look he specified. "That it could take months to find and/or create a proper time travel method. They do tend to be quite… temperamental."

Chris shook his head and his lips twitch upwards slightly. "Time travel's easy enough, it's the specifics that are a bitch to iron out."

"I'd hardly call it easy. Not for most people anyway."

"The travel part is easy enough. It's the other things you have to into consideration that cause trouble." He told the Elder offhandedly. "Precisely where and when to go, factor in powers, make sure you arrive with all your limbs in the right places… the little things."

"Little things right." Miguel rolled his eyes. "You don't have to tell me. I taught you as much about magic as your mother and aunts did."

At the sombre look that came across his self-appointed charges face Miguel regretted the comment. Taking a habit learned from that same charge he tried to deal with the tense situation with a poor attempt a humour. "Admit it. You just get a kick out of giving your family pointless busy work."

Chris couldn't stop the grin that appeared on his features, but to his credit he did manage to hold in his laugh. "Well, I can't say a part of me didn't enjoy that."

"Besides." Chris continued. "We have a whole research team assigned to them, hopefully they'll be able to figure out something. Or at least what the object that sent us here is."

"And, of course, you have a completely different direction you plan on researching yourself." It wasn't a question merely a statement. Miguel knew him all too well.

"Maybe one or two." Chris admitted sheepishly. "If I can find another significantly powerful concentration of magic like the Nexus we could just use the same spell."

He glanced at the multiple piles of loose papers, folders and books on his desk disdainfully. "Unfortunately I have to get through all that first."

"No." Miguel told him firmly. "The first thing you have to do is go home and get some rest."

"I can't I have protection spells to look at, battle plans and defence strategies to go over, interspecies disputes to find a compromise, personnel manifests, agricultural re-"

Miguel cut him off.

"All of which we have been able to handle since you've been gone."

"But-"

"You need to get some rest."

"But-"

"No more 'buts'. All that," He gesture to the mountains of papers on the desk. "Will mean at least another all-nighter. You. Need. Rest."

"Some of it is urgent." Chris tried.

"So do that then go home. You're no good to anybody if you burn yourself out."

Chris rolled his eyes while mocking hurt. "Gee thanks"

"You're welcome. And I'm right."

Another eye roll. "And you're right."

"And just to make sure you actually listen to me." Miguel takes one of the chairs across from Chris and pulls it closer to the desk. "Where do we start?"

** OOOOOO **

Shortly before six that night two figure emerged on the path leading out of a densely wooded area of the park. They spoke quietly to each other as they took the path at a leisurely pace.

"I have to admit, I needed that." Chris told his companion.

"I told you."

"How did you find that spot anyway?" Chris asked. "It's way too secluded for you to have just stumbled upon."

Miguel actually looked embarrassed at the question. "Let's just say it involved an experiment, a spell, and a misdirection of orbs and leave it at that. I figured it was peaceful, a perfect spot for mediation."

"I'll give you that. I haven't felt this refreshed in awhile. Guess the mediation did me some good."

"So would sleep."

"Ya, ya, ya."

They walked in companionable silence for several minutes before Miguel spoke suddenly.

"So, do you want to tell me why you're avoiding going home yet?"

Chris stopped dead, taken aback by the blunt question.

"You always could see through me." He told the older man as he shook his head. "Like when you used to come down and work with me when dad would take Wyatt 'up there' for training. Even though I told you repeatedly it didn't bother me."

"Any fool could see that it did. And stop avoiding the question." Miguel told him.

Chris sighed. "Six months doesn't sound so long, but it feels like an eternity."

"She loves you. They both do." Miguel assured him, already having a good idea of where this was going. It was an issue long before he even went to the past and, god willing, it will be an issue long after. After all, it's only natural to worry about ones own child.

"I know. And I love them too. They're my world." Chris told him. "It's just that… my father missed so much of my life and it hurt. It hurt so much. I'm afraid to see how much I've missed of hers."

"Chris. Look at me. Look at me!" Miguel grabbed Chris' shoulder and turned him so that they were facing each other. "Chris you are not like your father. And even if you were the two of you made peace eventually."

"Yeah, it's the eventually part that bothers me." Came the bitter reply.

Miguel sighed. He'd never known a man stronger in will and character than Christopher. But he was still human, and despite what pretty much everyone else believed he does have fears. And ever since Bianca had first announced she was pregnant this had been Chris' biggest fear. Being a bad father.

That's not to say he wasn't ecstatic about the prospect of being a father. Quite the contrary in fact. Miguel had never seen him so happy. A joy that is still there to this day, plain for anyone to see on his face the second Chris sets sights on his little girl. It was just that sometimes those fears managed to work their way to the surface. He had the fears of a man who has lost nearly everyone he has ever loved at far too young an age. That he can't protect her.

Couple that with an absentee father who showed blatant favouritism over his children and you have a great deal of issues. For Chris going to the past, no matter how necessary it may be, would seem like abandoning Piper.

"You will never have to worry about that." Miguel assured the younger man.

"How can you be so sure?"

"How? Because I've watched you grow up, that's how." He told him as he gripped both Chris' shoulders. "You have become a strong, caring, compassionate person. I've seen you with Piper and you know what Chris? An idiot could see how devoted you are to that little girl. You'll never put your family second."

Chris still didn't meet his gaze. "They say that part of how you learn to be a parent is through the example of your own. The only thing is my father was never there. The closest thing I had to a father figure in my life was my grandfather… and you."

Miguel looked taken aback but said nothing, sensing Chris wasn't through. "With those examples maybe I'll do alright after all."

Neither man knew what to say after the round about admission. They just stood there awkwardly in an uncomfortable silence. They were soon saved by a loud yell.

"**_Daddy!_**"

Both turned to the source of the yell and smiled as they saw little Piper Hope Halliwell running their way. Chris smiled broadly as he knelt down with open arms that his little girl soon dove into. He forced out a playful grunt as he picked her up. "There's my Little Miracle! You're getting big."

Piper giggled and smiled happily at hearing her daddy's nickname for her again. "I am?"

"Yep." He told her as he kissed her forehead. After a moment of just holding his child in his arms he asked, more curious than angry. "What are you doing alone in the park at this time of night?"

"Mommy's cooking." She wrinkled her nose cutely as she said it. "Wants to s'pris you."

"Oh dear god no!" Chris exclaimed with a look of genuine horror. "We'd better go before somebody ends up in the hospital!"

"Later Miguel." He said before orbing off with his daughter in his arms.

Miguel smiled as he watched the blue and white lights vanish. "I love you too kid." He said before orbing off himself.

Neither noticed the onlookers who witnessed the whole thing.

**

* * *

**A/N  
Just want to thank chattypandagurl for pointing out the spelling error in last parts chapter title. I never would have noticed if somebody hadn't pointed it out for me.


	8. Family Unit

** OOOOOO **

Chris and Piper started coughing almost immediately after orbing into their home. Waving his free hand in front of them in an attempt to dissipate some of the smoke Chris made his way over to the end with the bedrooms. He telekinetically opened doors and windows and turned on a few ceiling fans along the way, the smoke getting thinner the closer he got. Thankfully it was totally gone by the time he made it to his daughter's room, it being the farthest away from the kitchen. A precaution Chris subtly arrange after moving in.

Placing his little girl down Chris kissed the top of her head. "I'll be right back."

Getting up Chris left the room, making his way towards the kitchen. The smoke wasn't quite as bad as before but it was still getting fairly thick the closer he got to his destination. When he was just about there he noticed that the nearby walls had a few scorch marks. No doubt from a stray energy ball hurled in frustration.

Chris sighed at the sight. "This is why we can't have neighbours."

Indeed they didn't. Their home consisted of the entire top floor of their building. Much bigger than they actually needed in Chris' opinion. Various people had been trying to get him to take a large place for awhile now. After the hospitalizations involved in Bianca's last attempt at cooking he finally agreed. Well, he never really like those neighbours anyways. And that poodle, poor bastard never saw it coming…

Finally he arrived in the kitchen. It was remarkably well lit, and not just from the fluorescent bulbs. The huge spires of flame coming from the frying pans helped a fair bit. The light from the fire danced across Bianca's features as she tried frantically to beat them out with a washcloth in one hand while knocking the fallen smoke detector out of her face with the other. It was dangling from the ceiling by a single wire. He'd thought it was weird that it wasn't going off. All the while Bianca was cursing up a storm in a multitude of languages. Some human, some demon, some neither.

Under normal circumstance Chris would never have had a chance in hell at sneaking up on the trained assassin. Right now, however, she was… well, distracted. Perhaps he would have been able to remain undetected longer if he had been able to stifle his chuckle at the sight. We will never know because there was no way in hell he could manage it.

She turned around at the sudden noise, hand raised and energy ball formed.

"Hi honey, I'm home!" He managed to ground out between laughs.

"Chris!" Bianca exclaimed as she dropped the energy ball and practically jumped into his arms.

As he returned the embrace he subtly used his telekinesis to snuff out the flames and turned off all the burners, just in case.

Chris smirked at her. "I think we should get take out."

Bianca smacked him playfully before smirking herself and pulling him down for a passionate kiss. They didn't know how long exactly they stay locked in their embrace, but by the time they were startled out they were both out of breath.

"Yuck." Came a little voice from behind them.

They turned to see their daughter standing behind them. The smoke was completely gone as well.

"So my Little Miracle." Chris said as he picked his daughter up with one arm and placed the other around his wife. "What do you say we go out for pizza?"

** OOOOOO **

The group stared on in shock as the last of the orb lights dissipated. Of all the things they imagined when they first met the young Piper Hope Halliwell this was definitely not on the list.

"Did… Did that just… really…?" Phoebe couldn't even get the whole sentence out.

"So we were right." Paige said wearing a stunned expression. "Chris must have married into the family."

Piper nodded her agreement, not taking her eyes off the spot where the father and daughter disappeared. "Makes sense. After everything he's done… going to the past. Who would risk so much unless it was for family?"

"Does that mean Chris is a Phoenix? I never saw a tattoo." Paige asked.

Phoebe shrugged and pointed out. "He could have hidden it."

"No."

The quiet reply may as well have been a fierce yell. For a moment the sisters had been so distracted with the new revelation and Leo had been so quiet that they had nearly forgotten he was there. The single hushed word filled with so much pain and guilt brought their attention like a thunderclap.

"No what?" Piper asked as she came up and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder seeing the emotions in his voice doubly so on his face. That disturbing mix of pain, guilt and sorrow that appears on the face of one who has just realized they have done something they may never be able to take back, or make up for.

"He can't be a Phoenix"

"Why not?"

"Because there are no male Phoenix witches."

"But then the only other explanation is-" Paige started.

Phoebe finished for her. "That he's a Halliwell!"

"Yes, and he's my son." Leo told them as he looked into Piper's eyes. "Our son."

"No, no, no, no and a **hell no!**"

"It can't be Paige. She's a Mathews not a Halliwell." He risked a brief glance to her. "No offence."

"None taken."

"Phoebe!" Piper pointed out.

Leo shook his head. "It's obvious now that he is half whitelighter. I don't see Phoebe getting together with a whitelighter any time soon and… Oh god he looks so much like you Piper! How could I have not seen it!"

He collapsed, fortunately onto the fountain edge behind him but very nearly crumbled to the ground. Leo brought his hands to his face. "He left so many hints and I never saw it. I never caught on."

"None of us did." Phoebe said as she sat next to him and placed a reassuring hand on his arm.

Taking a cue from her sister Paige went up to where Piper was standing stock still, a myriad of emotions warring on her features. Anger. Disbelief. Frustration. Hurt. Joy. And finally, a great deal of the one that everybody else was also feeling, guilt.

"Are you alright sweetie?" She asked even though she already knew the answer was no.

"He's my… He's my son!" Piper cried out as it finally settled in. Tears started flowing as she spoke. "He's going to hate me!"

"Why would he do that?"

"Ever since he arrived in the past we've been nothing but suspicious, insulting and down right mean! How could he not!"

"His brother is the new Source and rules the world. Yet he still came back to save him. If he can't hate Wyatt after all he's done I'm sure he can forgive us."

"Can he?" Piper asked her sister with hopeful eyes.

"It will take time, but ya, I'm sure he will."

"And we'll be here." Said a voice from behind her and Piper turned to find a teary eyed Leo behind her. He took her in his arms as she buried her face in his chest. "No matter how long it takes or what we have to do we'll be here."

Phoebe went up to Paige taking some reassures for her own worries in her sister's presence as she watched her other sister and, former and possibly current again, brother in law comfort each other. They didn't know how long they stayed like that. It wasn't until Paige spoke that they moved.

Noticing that they were garnering quite a few looks breaking down in the middle of a park Paige made a suggestion. "Maybe we should figure out what we're going to do somewhere a little more private.

Leo glanced up, taking in the confused, concerned and disinterested glances of passers by. On instinct he waved his hand and suddenly the group of them were surrounded by orb lights and deposited in the apartment he and Piper were sharing. If anyone was stunned by this development they didn't show it. The fact that Leo's powers worked again was of little solace to anyone.

"So now what?" Paige asked the question on everybody's mind.

They remained quiet. Nobody really knew what to say.

**

* * *

**  
A/N  
Originally I was going to post this as two small parts. I decided to post it as one partly because it was just too short otherwise and partly becuase I like the contrast between the two familial units.


	9. Alone Time

**OOOOOO **

Daryl stood over the bed looking down at looking down at the child inside. He found it so hard to believe sometimes that he as capable of so much power. That he would grow up to be one of the ultimate forces of good in the world if what the sisters had told him was true. Then the kid would orb and make toys fly around the room and then it wasn't so unbelievable.

Wyatt gave a happy gurgle in his sleep and Daryl felt his shoulders sag as he sighed.

"Nothing on the sisters yet?" Sheila asked as she put a hand on her husband's shoulder.

Daryl shook his head as he began to lead them out of the room.

"Nothing." He told her in a whisper so as not to wake the sleeping child. "It's like they just up and vanished."

"I'm sure they'll turn up soon, they always do."

His face was grim as he quietly shut the door, leaving it open only a crack. "Yah, but bad things usually turn up with them."

No sooner had their voices disappeared down the hall than tendrils of black mist began to form in the centre of the room. They slithered through the air like snakes through grass as they came together to make a shape. The shape was humanoid and quickly became detailed enough to be noticeably female. As the mist completed its shape it solidified.

There, in the centre of the room, stood a woman. Her skin pale and grey, a faded pastel green dress flowed past her feet, brushing the floor as she seemed to hover above it. By far her most unusual trait however was her hair. For where her hair should be were snakes, their colour a perfect match to her dress, hissing and slithering through the air.

Her bright yellow eyes scanned the room before quickly landing on her prey.

"So." She said as she floated towards the sleeping child. "You're the one that has everyone so worked up. The great Twice-Blessed."

Stheno almost spat the last part as she shook her head, and snakes, with a bitter chuckle. "I don't see what the big deal is.

"But, you'll make a fine statue nonetheless." She told the sleeping boy. Her eyes bore deeply into his closed lids.

"Wake up child." Came her hissing, yet almost hypnotic, voice. "Wake up and look into my eyes."

Wyatt only gurgled again, a small bit of spittle running down his chin.

Stheno stared disbelievingly

"I said wake up!" She ordered the child fiercely.

Again Wyatt ignored her demand.

"Wake up damn you!" She exclaimed as she reached out a large bony finger and poked the sleeping boy.

Wyatt simply cuddled closer to his teddy bear.

Stheno stared completely dumbfounded at the stubborn child before her.

If she had known anything about the young child before her Stheno would have wondered why he hadn't put up his shield when she poked him. However, she knew very little real facts concerning the Twice-Blessed and moved to try and wake him once more.

She heard two words, spoken slowly and deliberate, that froze her in her tracks.

"Baby monitor."

Stheno never had the chance to turn around as something hard connected to the back of her snake covered skull with a sickening crack. The snakes took the brunt of the blow, many falling limply across her back, but the force drove her to her knees.

She even managed to stay conscious after the second blow. Though spots clouded her vision and she knew that some of her beautiful snakes would never rise again.

With the third blow she didn't have the time to think about the damage to her skull. Stheno was driven into unconsciousness as the load crack of something splintering filled her ears.

Let this be a lesson; even demons shouldn't piss off large men with baseball bats.

Nearby Wyatt giggled in his sleep, blissfully unaware.

** OOOOOO **

It was eight in the morning when the sisters and Leo arrived via orbing, enjoying the slight freedom having Leo's powers back granted. They were in a large building about the size of a baseball stadium, but this most definitely was not used for sports. This place was the New Avalon Central Library. It was devoted almost entirely to magic, although there was a large non-magic section as well.

They made their way to one of the large boardrooms used for research that had been put aside for them, and the team of researchers aiding them. Leo was trying to calm down a fuming Piper as they moved closer to where her intended target would likely be.

The group of them didn't get much sleep the previous night as each dealt with the revelation of Chris' identity silently in their own way. It was well past midnight when Paige and Phoebe went across the hall to their own apartment, leaving the two would be parents to comfort each other.

Leo and Piper had held each other crying as they talked into the early morning. Talked about everything they should have seen or heard or put together, about everything they'd done wrong and most importantly what they would do now.

Many emotions had come over them as they drew strength from the other. Anger for this being kept from them. Hurt for the same reason. An unbearable guilt for not seeing the signs. A great fear for how he would react when he knew they knew.

Right now however Piper seemed stuck on angry. And the unfortunate recipient was –

"Miguel!" Piper roared as she burst into the boardroom, her sisters and Leo trailing behind her.

The Elder turned from his conversation with Cole and responded in an irritatingly (to Piper) calm voice. "Something I can do for you Piper?"

"We've been calling you for nearly two hours!" She exclaimed. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Sleeping like a normal person." Came the casual response.

Piper sent a glare over her shoulder as she heard something suspiciously like a stifled chuckle. Her sisters both wore expressions of complete innocence and Leo wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Look," Miguel said, taking his chance while the glare wasn't directed as him. "I have to go check on the refugee housing in our Atlantis base so I need get going."

Just as he was about to orb away Phoebe blurted out. "We know about Chris."

Neither Miguel nor Cole's expressions change in the slightest, both apparently well versed in schooling their features. They didn't need a tell though. The fact was Miguel was still there.

"You've spent six months with Chris, I'd imagine you'd know a few things about him." Not even the inflictions in Miguel's voice changed, the tone still conversational.

"That's not what she meant and you know it." Paige told the Elder certainly.

Leo stepped forward. "We know Chris is my son. Mine and Piper's."

"Your son?" Cole asked, convincingly sounding very confused.

"Save the act." Piper told him, having calmed down considerably. "We saw him and Miguel in the park when Little Piper ran into his arms yelling 'Daddy'!"

That finally got a reaction out of them as Miguel looked shocked and Cole practically went slack jawed. It was nearly a full minute before either of them even attempted to speak. Finally Miguel opened his mouth only to lurch forwards as a hand connected with the back of his head before any words could come out.

"You couldn't have sensed them!" Cole exclaimed as he slapped the back of the Elder's head again. "Chris has had a lot on his mind so he has an excuse, but you should have picked them up!"

"Hey!" Miguel cried out indignantly as he ducked under another slap. "I was distracted. You know how Chris has been since he came back. I was trying to cheer him up."

The sisters and Leo looked down at that. They couldn't help but feel they were the reason he needed cheering up to begin with. Cole, however, was reluctantly nodding his head in agreement.

"Besides," Miguel continued, his gaze sweeping the group but Leo could have sworn he looked right at him. "Something he said really through me for a loop there."

Cole seemed to accept that as he turned back to them. "I suppose that's why you've been calling this guy for a couple hours now? Chris wouldn't answer you."

It wasn't a question but they nodded anyway. It was Piper who spoke next, all traces of anger gone leaving her looking worn out and almost frail. "We need you to take us to him."

She sounded so desperate that it broke both men's hearts to have to tell her they couldn't. They sighed and tried to convey how much they wished they could with a look. "I'm sorry Piper. I really am. We can't do that."

"Why not? We only want to tell him we're so sorry about everything! To try and make things right again!"

"It has nothing to do with not wanting to see you." Miguel reassured Piper. "He's never blamed you for anything, not really. That's not the type of person he is. Blame himself? Most certainly. Blame others? Definitely not."

"But why can't I – we – see him?"

"The guy hasn't seen his wife and daughter for six months Piper. He deserves a day, just one day, without any of this," He waved his arms out trying to emphasize his point. "Hanging over him."

"What about tonight?" Leo asked as he placed a reassuring hand on Piper's shoulder.

Miguel shook his head. "No. Today he's spending the day with his wife and daughter as a family. Late this afternoon he's dropping his daughter off at her babysitter so he and Bianca can have some – ahem – 'alone time' tonight."

"Alone time?" Piper asked looking puzzled.

Phoebe had understood immediately and looked at her sisters slyly. "C'mon Piper, it hasn't been that long has it?"

Piper's face went scarlet and looked decidedly uncomfortable as she finally understood exactly what they were implying. "Ooooohhhh."

"Yah 'oooohhh'." Miguel told them looking rather uncomfortable himself. "And there is no way I'm interrupting that. I still have the scars Bianca gave me that time I accidentally did." He visibly shivered at the memory.

"Do Elders even scar?" Paige asked suddenly.

"Some things even our powers have limits healing." The tone in his voice told them no more was to be asked on that subject.

"Look, I really do need to check in on the refugees." Miguel told them. He levelled a sympathetic eye on Piper and Leo. "You'll see him tomorrow. I promise."

With that he orbed out leaving the group from the past not knowing what to say. Something that seemed habit forming as of late. Fortunately Cole still had his voice.

"C'mon." He said as he ushered them into seats around the large mahogany table already teeming with books of all shapes and sizes. "The research team will be here soon so let's get to work. It will help keep your minds occupied. Like Miguel said, you'll see Chris tomorrow."  
**

* * *

**

**A/N**  
I said in my profile I would have something out in October and I just barely made my deadline. Sorry about keeping you waiting so long for this one but I've just haven't had the time to write.  
The main question I get with this story is when does it take place. In truth I never really had any specific episodes in mind when I started, just that Chris-Crossed hadn't happened, so they didn't know about the witchlighter thing yet, and he's been in the past around six months.  
In a recent review dee pointed out that Chris used his powers in front of the girls when the probes arrived. That was actually a goof on my part that I didn't notice until about two posts after the fact. It will be addressed in a future chapter.


	10. Statues

** OOOOOO **

The first thing that she noticed as she began to regain consciousness was that her head hurt. The second thing that she noticed was that… well… her head _really_ fucking hurt.

Through the pain Stheno vaguely perceived a noise nearby. After a moment she was able to make out muffled voices. Soon she could hear them clearly.

"I want that thing out of my house! Now Daryl!" A woman's voice. An angry woman's voice that seemed to be trying very hard not to yell. Stheno had to hold in a snort at that. _Probably doesn't want to wake up the idiotic spawn!_

A man replied and Stheno inwardly seethed as she recognized the voice as the lowly human who managed to sneak up on here (not that she'll ever let any of the other Gorgon know that, she had a reputation to uphold after all). "I'm working on it."

"Daryl…" Oh ya, she's pissed.

"Hey it's tied up so at least we're safe for now."

Keeping her eyes clothes so the human's won't realize she's woken Stheno subtly tries to move her limbs. Sure enough each of her limbs seemed to be bound to a bedpost.

_Fools!_ Stheno thought savagely. _Like some old rope is going to hold a Gorgon!_

"It's tied up so you what? Decide to keep it around for tea?"

Alright, Stheno was really starting to get annoyed with being referred to as 'it'. She was quickly reaching the point were she didn't know who to kill first, her attacker or her insulter.

"I have this covered. Trust me."

"How does tying it up in the spare room have it covered?"

_That's it!_ Steno seethed. _The woman dies first!_

With that thought Stheno allowed a load hiss of rage to escape her throat and opened her eyes. The hiss quickly changed to cry of shock and fear.

"Noooooo!" Stheno screamed as she stared into her own eyes. For almost a full minute the scream went on as she slowly turned to stone starting at her feet and working up her body. Soon enough all that was left was a statue frozen in the same manner as so many of her victims. A statue frozen in fear.

"So that's why you tied the mirror over the bed." Sheila commented when the screaming stopped and turned to her husband. "Did you know that would happen?"

Daryl just shrugged. "That's how they beat Medusa in the movies. With her reflection."

"Medusa?"

He pointed at the now stone snakes where hair should be. "Who else could that have been?"

"Huh."

"I took out Medusa!" Daryl exclaimed with a grin. Was this what the sisters felt when they took out a demon? He could get used to this feeling. "I am The Man!"

Sheila headed for the door. "Well I'm going to bed. Don't forget to take the trash out Mister Man."

The grin left his face like it had never been there in the first place. "Yes dear."

"And while you're at it, take that," She wave at the statue currently straining their spare bed. "Thing out of here."

"Yes dear."

** OOOOOO **

The Collector strolled leisurely through his museum, occasionally stopping to admire a particular memorable piece. Not necessarily the most rare or most valuable, but those that had been interesting or pleasantly challenging to acquire.

The Twice-Blessed would be the latest and greatest addition. To steal the offspring of a Charmed One and an Elder, the one spoken of in prophesy… Well, it would be centuries before he would acquire a more memorable prize. If he ever would.

He actually laughed a deep booming laugh that would have sent a shiver down the spine of anyone around him. Had there been anyone else there anyways.

And just to make his victory even sweeter it was another Elder that was helping him. A being that watches over good was helping him take what has the potential to be the greatest force of good to exist. And the Elder came to _him_ no less!

Oh The Collector knew that Gideon had his own agenda. He didn't know what it was though. Nor did he particularly care either. All that matters is that he gets the boy. Everything else is just icing on the cake as the saying goes.

As the large demon walked through his hall of statues his musing came to an abrupt halt. All the statues suddenly were no longer statues. Most were no threat, but some of those collected were beings of considerable power. And they all were looking at him with very angry expressions.

"Huh, Stheno must be dead." He thought calmly as he casually snatched a spear inches from his face and dodged an incoming energy ball. "How annoying."

** OOOOOO **

The adult Wyatt sat regally in his darkened throne room. His eyes were closed as if he were in deep concentration. He was trying to sense his brother's location. Not that it was really necessary; he already knew Chris was in New Avalon. There was nowhere else he would go. His family was there and Chris was nothing if not a devoted family man.

Good old predictable Christopher.

Wyatt was trying to get his exact location in the city. To no effect. Yet. He was confident he would be able to break the shields though. He was the Twice-Blessed after all. Nobody had more power.

His thoughts were cut short as a black robed demon shimmered into the room.

"The preparations are complete milord." It said, kneeling as Wyatt himself stood.

"It's good that Chris is home. This just wouldn't be the same without him." Wyatt smiled cruelly ignoring the only other occupant of the room while he addressed one who wasn't even there. "Time to begin the Endgame."

* * *

A/N  
No you aren't imagining this, I actually did update. It's been three days shy of a year, but I finally updated. I'm going to try to post at least one part a month, no gaurenties but I'll try. The next part will be Chris and his day with his wife and daughter. 


End file.
